PLEASE keep your letters to 250 words maximum giving your name, address and daytime telephone number - even on emails. Email: letters@swindonadvertiser.co.uk. Write: Swindon Advertiser, 100 Victoria Road, Swindon, SN1 3BE. Phone: 01793 501806.

Anonymity is granted only at the discretion of the editor, who also reserves the right to edit letters.

Vital to do research

I STARTED writing to the SA in June 2008 after I read a letter by Greg Heathcliffe stating Peter Mandleson said democracy is dead in the EU.

While I am no fan of Mandleson, I could not believe he would say anything so stupid and, after research that included contacting Mandleson’s office, I found out that what he said was the exact opposite.

Greg Heathcliffe does it again when he states EU commissioner Viviane Reding said “the EU made some 70 per cent of UK law”.

This is not only inaccurate but the exact opposite of what was said.

What she said was: “EU parliament is co-decider with member states of all EU LAW.”

To be fair to Greg Heathcliff, I suspect he just forwards letters written by the UKIP headquarters and if one was to read letter pages from around the country there would be the same canard.

Greg should be careful to research what he passes on in future so as not to unintentionally pass on untruths.

The Commons Library, which is overseen by MPs of both the in and out variety, says its research shows the figure for UK law originating in the EU is between eight and 14 per cent.

I must repeat my plea: Do not believe anything that isn’t given a source and do not take the source at face value, look it up.

STEVE THOMPSON

Norman Road, Swindon

....

Step away from EU

MR JOHNSON drawing parallels between the mindset of the EU leading lights and Adolf Hitler is so apt.

The impressive architecture of the Brussels buildings is similar to Hitler’s drawings of the 1,000-year Reich he hoped to establish.

To a lesser extent the EU has driven campaigns to promote anti-smoking measures and Hitler was a zealous non-smoker.

Under the Nazis schools indoctrinated children in the ways of Nazism. The EU has funding for education in schools to show the benefits of the EU. The EU has led the warning of climate change and the remedy of decarbonising energy and heavy industry.

Hitler used bombs to destroy British industry, the EU agitates for coal to be phased out.

Democracy defeated Hitler’s despotism and one would hope that democracy in the referendum will be the first step in ending the EU’s grip.

N GARDINER

Carlisle Avenue, Swindon

....

Traffic affecting staff

IT’S NOT just patients who are struggling to get to GWH on time for appointments of course – staff are too.

My friend was half an hour late for her shift last week due to traffic congestion.

The bus driver allowed all the medical staff on the bus to get off immediately they reached the hospital grounds in a bid to get them to work sooner.

The patients were told to stay on until they reached the bus stop.

Something must be done urgently to end this traffic congestion.

JANE HILL

Swindon